"To hear McChrystal talk about leadership is like hearing Steve Jobs talk about innovation or Henry Ford talk about productivity. The former general is a warrior and visionary who turned a bulky bureaucracy into a fast-moving force that helped wipe out Al-Qaeda in Iraq and is credited with turning the tide of that war as well as the one in Afghanistan." – WIRED Magazine

A one-of-a-kind commander with a remarkable record of achievement, General Stanley McChrystal is widely praised for creating a revolution in warfare that fused intelligence and operations. He is also known for developing and implementing the counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and for creating a comprehensive counter-terrorism organization that revolutionized the way military agencies interact and operate.

A four-star general, he is the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan and the former leader of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which oversees the military’s most sensitive forces. His leadership of JSOC is credited with the 2003 capture of Saddam Hussein and the 2006 location and killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq. He is also the author of the best-selling leadership books, My Share of the Task: A Memoir and Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, McChrystal, a former Green Beret, is known for his candor, innovative leadership, and going the distance. Called “one of America’s greatest warriors” by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, few can speak about leadership, teamwork, and international affairs/geopolitics with as much insight.

Thirty-Four Years Of Service. The son and grandson of US Army officers, McChrystal graduated from West Point in 1976 and trained at the Special Forces School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was later commissioned as an infantry officer and spent much of his career commanding special operations and airborne infantry units. During the Persian Gulf War, McChrystal served in a Joint Special Operations Task Force and commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment. He also completed year-long fellowships at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1997 and at the Council on Foreign Relations in 2000. He was promoted to brigadier general in 2001.

In 2002, he was appointed chief of staff of military operations in Afghanistan. Two years later, McChrystal was selected to deliver the nationally televised Pentagon briefings about military operations in Iraq. From 2003 to 2008, he commanded Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and was responsible for leading the nation’s deployed military counter-terrorism efforts around the globe, assuming command of all international forces in Afghanistan in June 2009. President Barack Obama’s order for an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan was based on McChrystal’s assessment of the war.

Supporting Military Families & National Service. McChrystal retired from the military in 2010. He now serves on the board of directors for JetBlue Airways, Navistar, and the Yellow Ribbon Fund. McChrystal is the chair of Service Year Alliance, a project of Be The Change and the Aspen Institute, which envisions a future in which a service year is a cultural expectation and common opportunity for every young American. He is also a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, where he teaches a popular course on leadership.

General McChrystal co-founded the McChrystal Group in January 2011. Its mission is to deliver innovative leadership solutions to organizations which help them transform and succeed in challenging and dynamic environments.

Four-Star Strategy Lessons. A dynamic, powerful speaker, McChrystal impresses audiences with field-tested leadership lessons, stressing a uniquely inclusive model that focuses on building teams capable of relentlessly pursuing results. When old systems fall short, he believes true leaders must look for ways to innovate and change. Citing stories from his career, McChrystal reveals a four-star management strategy, concentrating on openness, teamwork, and forward-thinking.

Lessons In Leadership. In dynamic presentations on leadership, General Stan McChrystal shares lessons based on leading and innovating one of the world’s largest organizations. Modern warfare and business demand the same no-nonsense leadership that drives change and implements it across large organizations. He reveals the power of culture, communication, and relationships, sharing stories, experiences, and principles that make his points. Using high-end visuals, McChrystal addresses such key leadership principles as transparency and inclusion, leveraging the power of teams through relationships, leading by influence, relentless mission focus, and sharing a clear vision with everyone who must execute against it.

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. In this captivating presentation on the significance of teamwork, Gen. McChrystal draws on research conducted for his New York Times best-seller Team of Teams, along with examples from his time leading extremely high-performing teams in wartime, to provide a 360-degree view of the role teamwork plays in today’s success equation. Hitting on the many ingredients of effective teamwork including transparent communication and a decentralized power network that allows for split-second, empowered decision-making, McChrystal’s compelling insights and thought-provoking examples pave the way for real transformation at organizations large and small.

The Changing Geopolitical Landscape. Few people have as much insight on the current state of national and global affairs as General McChrystal. In this insightful presentation, he examines today’s most pressing questions regarding the dynamic geopolitical environment. He investigates and analyzes the trends, relationships, and forces that shape the world. He details the implications that these factors will have on the security, politics, energy, and the global population.

Moderated Conversations On Leadership Or Geopolitical Issues. For the right audiences, General McChrystal will have a conversation with a moderator or business leader that leads to custom insights and dynamic wide-ranging conversations tailored to the audience. This intimate format lends itself to McChrystal’s candid insights, responses, and stories, which draw the audience in and make them part of the dialogue. From lessons learned to observations on current events and the future, McChrystal shares perspectives gained through one of the most legendary military careers, as well as his experiences with business, teaching, and public service.

Leaders: Myth and Reality. In this new speech based on his 2018 book Leaders: Myth and Reality, Gen. McChrystal looks at 13 influential leaders throughout history—from war Generals to business tycoons to civil rights icons and even an al Qaeda despot—to provoke a new and necessary conversation on leadership. McChrystal tackles burning questions around what real leadership is, the roles leaders ought to play, where the kind of leadership that incites loyal followers comes from, and more. A fascinating walk through the past aimed at enlightening and empowering the leaders of our present and future, this speech is ideal for any leader that wants to grow their footprint by empowering their people.

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Clients say

The General was exceptional and all attendees continue to rave about the event. We were so happy to have General McChrystal with us and hope he had a good time at the event as well.

Hoover Group, Inc

It was wonderful. Such a great presentation to end our program with. Standing ovation from our group.

Ace Hardware

General McChrystal’s talk last night was absolutely superb -- and he received not one, but two (!) standing ovations. Mrs. McChrystal was also a true delight, and everyone was so happy to meet her as well as him. The McChrystals were seated next to former Secretary of State George Shultz and his wife, and they all hit it off really well. Thank you again for all of your help. Will look forward to working with all of you again in the future.

Hoover Institute at Stanford University

Let me start by saying, the relationship that Leading Authorities and I have developed over the past few months, will last a lifetime. As for the keynote speech by General Stanley McChrystal, there are many ways and words to describe his time with us, however here are just a few: first class, superb, impressive, fantastic, simply the best. The General’s professionalism, positivity, high energy, concept and communication of leadership principles, coupled with his commitment to Siemens, our staff and our annual Conference Industrial Academy was absolutely unmatched. As a believer in professional and personal growth, the General provided us with great value and growth in these two areas. The investment was priceless based on General McChyrstal’s impact on our organization. Specifically, we want to thank General Stanley McChrystal and Leading Authorities for allowing us the opportunity to spend an evening with one of ‘America’s Greatest Warriors’.

Industrial Sales Division

We were honored to have GEN McChrystal with us for the afternoon and the reaction to his presentation has been very positive. I truly appreciate your partnership in making the day happen! I know government processes and our security procedures are sometimes tedious but it always pays off in the end. I appreciate GEN McChrystal's and Cherylanne's patience as we worked through things during their visit and hope they enjoyed the day as much as everyone here. People are still talking about it!